A Costly Mistake
by Eques Pirate
Summary: On the anniversery of Sirius's death, Harry goes to eat dinner alone.  What he doesn't know is that someone is following him.


Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own.

A Costly Mistake

I spotted my quarry rounding the corner ahead of me as he presumably made his way to dinner, alone in the empty corridor, unaware of his pursuer. As I followed the shock of messy black hair, I repeated my plan again in my head, looking for a countless number of things that might go wrong. There were many, however, without this plan, I would have to resort to dark magic, something that I was not willing to do under the surveillance of Albus Dumbledore.

I quickly ducked out of sight as Potter turned his head back, as if he knew I was there. He saw nothing, just as I planned, and he continued down the same path to his destination. Here, I saw the perfect opportunity to begin the first step of my plan: he had turned down the welcoming, brightly lit corridor ahead of him to instead take a secret passage. A passage hidden from prying eyes of ghosts and portraits on the off chance that one awoke or passed by.

As my prey descended the slim staircase behind the tapestry, I took my chance in hitting him with a well aimed Cheering Charm. The charm was powerful enough to make him slightly confused as he ginned stupidly, but weak enough to keep him from laughing outright. He would never suspect in his glee the potion I would plant in his evening drink. I was thankful that he had decided to eat alone on this occasion—Potter's fellow Gryffindors, unaware of what was going on many floors below them, had agreed to leave him be on the anniversary of his Godfather's death—a costly mistake.

I slid out of the passage way once I was sure that Potter continued down the same path, and took my own shortcut to the Great Hall. Upon entering, I noticed that Dumbledore seemed to have anticipated what Potter was planning tonight, for the Hall was completely empty. One place was set at the Gryffindor table, a lone pitcher of pumpkin juice desperately calling me to it.

I removed the vial I held in my pocket, and uncorked it carefully over the pitcher of liquid. The texture of the potion mixed almost perfectly with that of the juice within, and I quickly disguised the color to match. Just as I had finished, I heads uneven footsteps approaching me in the outside corridor. Barely thinking, I ducked under one of the tables as Potter entered, still grinning.

He moved ungracefully to the spot set just for him, and within minutes, had begun eating the steaming hot food in front of him. I watched carefully, awaiting my time as if awaiting Christmas morning, or even my own wedding. After ten minutes of picking at his food, Potter finally took up his glass without so much as glancing into it, or even smelling it, and downed the entire goblet, potion and all.

The effect was gradual over the next few moments, though Potter seemed to be unaware of it. I watched as his eyes drooped, and finally, fell completely closed. Potter's body went limp, and he fell forward with a sharp _bang_ as his head hit the table.

I emerged from my hiding spot, quickly binding his wrists with a dark cord-like rope I had conjured. The effects of Draught of the Living Dead would keep the boy in a heavy sleep for nearly twelve hours, but I would rather be prepared if something were to go wrong. Without much difficulty, I managed to carry Potter's limp form out of the school, and into the grounds. No one had seen my dark form from the castle, and I unlocked the gates, apparating on the spot as soon as I exited.

When I readjusted my eyes, I found myself in the apparition spot my Master had set up for his lair. Turning to the door across from my position, I knocked on it once and entered on command.

The room was lit by a single candle, and in the flickering light, I discarded Potter to the cold floor in front of the high-backed chair.

"You have done well, Draco..." hissed the Dark Lord.

* * *

Author's Note: Maybe later I'll extend this, but for now I won't. Maybe after I finish CftD…

Also, I would like to note to any readers from Control from the Dark that I won't be updating until after the release of HPDH so as not to be distracted from rereading the series, then reading the book, and so forth. I'll post this on that story as well.

A Costly Mistake won a contest and I was so happy! YAY!

ONWARD TO HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS! 21 DAYS IN COUNTING!

TwilightsCalling


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